Let's Go to Expo! Part 9.

What better way to celebrate two years of this blog than by posting another installment of Let's Go to Expo?  WOOOHOOO! Here's what's coming up on January 22 & 23 in Mesa, Arizona!

This installment has some great names from great people, from the President of Incline Software to an author of some 11 genealogy training programs to the owner of Generation Maps to a guitar playing national speaker! Let's get going.

The President of Incline Software is Gaylon Findlay, who will speak at:

8:00 on 1/23: Ancestral Quest 12.1 - The Natural Upgrade for PAF and at

3:00 on 1/22: Synchronize PAF 5 or AQ Data with New FamilySearch Using Ancestral Quest, the Program from Which PAF 5 was Derived

The expert on training videos for Genealogy is Geoffrey Rasmussen, the creator of the Legacy Family Tree program!

Geoffrey will grace our eyes and ears with the following presentations:

1/22 @ 1:30:  Organizing, Planning, Mapping, Charting and Sharing Using Legacy Family Tree

1:23 @ 8:00:  Market Your Ancestors Using Message Boards, Mailing Lists, Blogs, and Social Networking Sites

1/23 @  1:00:  Legacy Family Tree: Tips & Tricks

1/23 @  4:00:  Timelines and Chronologies: Secrets of Genealogical Success

Who else could follow Geoffrey but The Chart Chick?  Janet Hovorka, along with her husband, own and operate Generation Maps, and if you've never seen one of her charts then you have GOT to come to this Expo (well, you should be coming anyway).   Janet will speak twice at this year's Mesa FH Expo:

1/22 at 3:00:  Basic Research Practices in the Age of New FamilySearch

1/23 at 2:30:  Certified Genealogy Software that Makes New FamilySearch Family Tree Easier

Can you imagine a better genealogy speaker than an expert in folklore? I can't!  Jean  Wilcox Hibben is a board-certified genealogist, President of the Corona Genealogical Society, and the Southern California chapter of APG! And MESA gets to hear her speak:

1/22 @ 1:30:  Federal Census Records: Brick Wall Battering Rams, Part I

1/22 @ 3:00:  Federal Census Records: Brick Wall Battering Rams, Part II

1/23 @ 1:00:  To Zion in Song: The Westward Migration of the Mormons

Jim Greene is a FamilySearch Product Manager.  He's a guru on technology and its uses in genealogy, having also worked for IBM and Novell.  He will be presenting the following:

1/22 @ 10:00 a.m.:  FamilySearch 2010 and Beyond

1/23 @ 8:00 a.m.:   FamilySearch’s Research Wiki, Forums, and Blogs: Useful Tools to Connect and Collaborate with Others

Ever hear of John Vilburn? If you haven't, you probably have heard of his company: Ohana Software. He also developed PAF Insight and Family Insight. And if you still haven't heard of him, you will by the time this Expo is over. He is presenting:

1/22 @ 11:30 a.m.:  FamilyInsight: The Rest of the Story

I hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Let's Go to Expo! Part 8

I wish I could bring my dog to the Family History Expo in Mesa, Az January 22-23.  He'd probably learn so much from Dolores A. (Dee) Semon.  See, Dolores has 34 years experience in German and Polish research, including Pommerania! Yes, you got it: My dog is part Pomeranian! Then again, she also is experienced in research in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and my great-grandfather Edward HODICK may well have been born in Bohemia! Dolores speaks 8 languages and published a book in Weurttemburg.  As if that wasn't enough, she is the Public Relations secretary, E-News Editor, and Research Chair for Federation of Eastern European Family History Societies (FEEFHS).  WOW! Her speaking schedule is as follows:

1/22 @ 3:00  Beginning Polish Research
1/22 @ 4:30  I Stil Can't Find My Place Name

Who is a native of Georgia, is a cultural historian, and is a principal investigator for DNA Consultants in Phoenix? And who has co-authored "When Scotland Was Jewish: DNA Evidence, Archaelogy, and Public Records"?  And who has a new book on the horizon entitled "Star, Crescent and Cross: Jews and Muslims in Colonial America"? 

Why, it's Donald Yates, of course!  I'm amazed at the speaker tally at this year's expo!  Donald will be presenting the following:

1/22 @ 10:00  Ancestral Tracing With an Autosomal DNA Test: Conceptions and Misconceptions.

Duff Wilson has 15 years of software design with Ancestry.com and holds the title of Senior Product Manager for Family Tree Maker. He's skilled at creating programs for the novice and the expert alike.  He is a graduate of Utah State University and we are lucky to have him in Mesa this year:

1/22 @ 1:30 p.m.  Getting the Most out of Family Tree Maker

Happy 101

Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski of In My Life is apparently enjoying my Let's Go To Expo posts enough to present me with the honor of the Happy 101 Award.  My task is to identify 10 things that make me happy and award 10 others this award.

What makes me happy:

1.  Knowing that I was raised in the perfect family in the perfect neighborhood in the perfect house.  Perfect is in the eye of the beholder, and some days the perfection of my happy childhood, flaws and all, hits me like a welcomed brick.  Today was one of those days.

2.  My dog, Izzie. And the memories of the dogs that had come before him: Mandy and Skipper.

3. Cousin Connections.  Call me sensitive or call me sentimental. There is something extra special about re-connecting with cousins long lost.  And the exhilerating feel of connecting with a cousin never known is indescribeable. Every time I find a cousin, or one finds me, I am overcome with wonderment about what our common ancestor must be thinking now!

4.  Friends.  You know, the people you can yell at, cuss at, laugh with, cry with, and just hang out with and know that the bond between you will never be broken.

5.  My career.  I usually love being a social worker. It allows me to use my creativity to further the lives of others. And in the process, of my own life.

6.  My car. Okay, this is rather materialistic, but I don't care. I love my car. (Knocking on wood as I type this, as I firmly believe that every time you say something good about a car it hears you and it breaks down).

7.  Tucson winters.  Most of the year I miss the lush green grass of my home in Western New York. And I miss WATER.  Big, blue, bodies of water that were not created by man (or woman). But this past week , with high temps in the low 70's, proves that you just can't beat Tucson winters.

8.  Professional Football.  I'm going to be a bit melancholy in a few weekends' time....

9.  The Internet. It allows me to have fun and make those cousin connections that in turn help me make more spiritual connections with ancestors long gone.

10.  Mayonaisse and lettuce sandwiches.  Okay, I know it sounds awful, and you're wondering why my parents would ever have allowed me to eat such things, but every once in a while I just have to have two pieces of white bread with mayonnaise (not miracle whip) and leaves of iceberg lettuce on them.  Goes back to the happy childhood thing again. Comfort food, if you will.

Now the 10 blogs I pass it on to: 

1. Conversations wth Ancestors Past
2. I Dream of Genea(logy)
3. Passing it On
4. Twig Talk
5. Apple's Tree
6. Destination Austin Family
7. DearMyrtle
8. footnoteMaven
9. ThinkGenealogy
10.GeneaMusings

Let's Go to Expo! Part 7

A couple of days and one post closer to the 2010 Family History Expo in Mesa, Az on January 22 & 23! Let's get the show on the road!

David Dilts is accredited for genealogical research for the areas of LDS Research and German Research. He's a Senior Reference Consultant in U.S. Reference at the Family History Library.  Attendees  have 4 opportunities to hear hhim speak:

1/22 @ 4:30  Evaluating Genealogical Evidence

1/23 @ 1:00  Revolutionary War Research

1/23 @ 2:30  Civil War Research

1/23 @ 4:00  World War I and World War II: U.S. Military Records

I'm not even sure how to introduce the next presenter.  Oh, wait, yes I do!  Having met her in person at last  year's conference, I can tell you she is as kind in real life as she is on the Internet.

DearMYRTLE, Ol' MYRT, Pat Richley, it all adds up to knowledge.  Her books include Dear MYRTLE's Joy of Genealogy (2006),  and The Everything Online Genealogy Book (2000). Her blogs include DearMYRTLE's Genalogy Blog and Teach Genealogy  At the FH Expo in Mesa, she will present on a topic near and dear to her heart (and especially to ours.  You can attend her presentations at the following times:

1/22 @ 11:30 FINALLY Get Organized!
1/23 @ 9:30  Getting from an Index to the Original Document

I was kind of hoping she'd present on Second Life, since I just haven't been able to grasp it.  Perhaps I can corner her for a tutorial...

Let's Go to Expo! Part 6

So just what is FamilySearch doing to prevent the loss of genealogical records across the globe? Just how are they digitalizing all those documents and articles and records?  How are they goiong to make it easier, quicker, and cheaper to access these records?  And why are you looking to me to provide the answers to these quesions?

You should be looking to Bryce Roper at the 2010 Family History Expo in Mesa, Az!  He is going to tell us all about RecordSearch and FamilySearch and their efforts to bring the past into the twenty-first century! You can hear his answers at the following times:

1/22 @ 1:30  Powerful Tips and Tricks for FamilySearch Record Search Coming

1/23 @ 9:30  Armchair Research: Easy Access to the World's Records.

And just why is Bryce going to be the one to answer those questions?  Because Bryce is the Product Manager for FamilySearch, that's why! He's held many positions in the technology/marketing field and he knows his products!

The next presenter, if you read this blog with any regularity, is someone you should know whether you're going to be at the Mesa FH Expo or not: I'ts ME! 

I am not a professional  genealogist, nor am I teacher of genealogy (yet).  I don't even have any degrees in history, Family Studies, or Sociology (but I come close on the last two!).  My educational and professional backgrounds are in Social Work.  I have worked in several areas of Social Work, from schools to behavioral health and now, medical.  One thing that has come in handy in all my postions AND in my genealogy research is the use of Genograms.  If you attend my presentation, you will gain an understanding of what a Genogram is and how it can help you gain a better understanding of your ancestors. And of yourself!

1/23  @ 1:00  When the Past Meets the Present to Change the Future: Using Genograms in Genealogical Research.

Genealogical Research methods have changed dramatically over the past few years; it's even different today than it was last year.  Curtis Tirrell will spend some time at the Family History Expo in Mesa telling us not what we need to know about the past, but what we need to know about the future:

1/22 @ 10:00  AppTime

Let's Go to Expo! Part 5

When I was a junior in high school, I took a class called Advanced Health.  This class was one in which the students...16 max...had to apply and be accepted to take. Each student was responsible for creating, planning and carrying out a lesson plan.  One student in my class chose the topic "Death and Dying".  One of our "guest" speakers was the teacher, Ms. Dorothy Arenz.  Ms. Arenz told us tales of her adventures walking through cemeteries as she traveled.  One of the activities in this lesson was a visit to a local cemetery.  It was a rather peaceful field trip, truth be known.

I might just be ripe for another lecture on cemeteries, and I will get my chance on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Mesa Family History Expo! 

Betsy Frith Gotsponer, MLS, is a professional librarian in Yuma, Az.  She is also a genealogy teacher at Arizona Western College.  She will present the following:

1/23 @ 4:00  Cemeteries I Have Walked. 

I hope that  you will be able to attend this lecture and gain some new knowledge on the value of cemetery research.

Billy Dubois Edgington holds a B.A. degree in History. She's contributed to "Genealogical Helper", co-authored a book entitled "Vital Information from the Guion Miller Roll" and authored a book entitled "African-Cherokee Connections".  She has over 40 years experience in genealogy research and will strut her stuff at the January Expo:

1/23 @ 4:00  Wagon Trains and Indian Fights. 

When she talks about family members who'd disappeared into the West, she could be referring to ME! I'm going to have a tough time deciding which presentation to attend, Betsy's or Billy's!

Bruce Buzbee probably needs no introduction, but in case he does, here it is!  Bruce is the founder and president of RootsMagic, Inc., a premier genealogy software company.  He authored my database program, RootsMagic 4 and Family Reunion Organizer. You can also add original creator of Family Origins.  He is the webmaster of Family-Reunion.com. He is presenting the following:

1/22 @ 3:00  What's New in RootsMagic4

1/23 @ 9:30  The New FamilySearch Made Easy with RootsMagic4

Let's Go to Expo! Part 4

 

Are you ready for the 4th installment for the Let's Go to Expo! series? I hope so because we have two amazing women in store for you today.  Imparting her knowledge of New England and New York research, Arlene Eakle, Ph.D., will be speaking on four occasions at the 2010 Mesa Family History Expo.

 

1/22/09 @ 1:30:  Virginia Genealogy Part I: Virginia Jurisdictions and Genealogical Research: A Preliminary Checklist.

1/22/09 @ 3:00: Virginia Genealogy, Part II: What is New and What Research Strategies Work

1/23/09 @ 8:00 New York Research Part I

1/23/09 @ 9:30 New  York Research Part II

Aside from being a professional genealogist for over 30 yers, Arlene is "merely" the President and Founder of The Genealogical Institute. She specializes in New York, the Southern U.S., the British Aisles, Switzerland and parts of Germany.  Attendees are sure to learn much from Arlene!

 Baerbell Johnson, AG, is an International Reference Consultant at the Family History Library.  I can attest to her knowledge and expertise, having had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with her at the 2008 FH Expo in Mesa.  I had a question for DearMyrtle, actually and she pulled in Baerbell to give me some tips on passenger ships and ports of departure/entry to include Austria and St. Kitt's.  Baerbell will also grace us with her presence and knowledge at the 2010 Mesa Expo:

1/22 @ 10:00  German Genealogy on the Internet - An Overview and German Town Genealogies and Parish Register Indexes on the Internet.

1/22 @ 11:30  Avoiding Mistakes in German Research

1/22 @ 1:00 Occupations in German Research.

1/23 @ 8:00  Finding Your Italian Ancestors